U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

INTRODUCTION - EVALUATING THE EVALUATORS (FROM USE OF EVALUATION BY FEDERAL AGENCIES - PROCEEDINGS OF A SYMPOSIUM, 1977, BY ELEANOR CHELIMSKY - SEE NCJ-49572)

NCJ Number
49579
Author(s)
J G ABERT
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM EVALUATION AS PART OF THE FEDERAL DECISIONMAKING AND MANAGEMENT PROCESS IS ASSESSED BY AN EVALUATOR WITH EXPERIENCE IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.
Abstract
THE COMMENTS WERE PRESENTED AS AN INTRODUCTION TO AN EVALUATION SYMPOSIUM PANEL ON THE PERSPECTIVES OF PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT PERFORM EVALUATION RESEARCH UNDER CONTRACT TO THE GOVERNMENT. SPILLOVER BENEFITS OF THE GROWING EMPHASIS ON PROGRAM EVALUATION (E.G., FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR ACADEMICIANS TO FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST) ARE NOTED. QUESTIONS THAT LEAD MOST PEOPLE TO BE UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE WORTH OF EVALUATION ARE CONSIDERED. THESE QUESTIONS HAVE TO DO WITH THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF EVALUATION, AND WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT EVALUATION, INVOLVING AS IT DOES THE VERY EMOTIONAL PROCESS OF SETTING OBJECTIVES AND CHOOSING CRITERIA, CAN BECOME COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. THE NEED TO TAKE A REASONED, GRADUAL APPROACH TO THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF EVALUATION IN FEDERAL AGENCIES IS POINTED OUT. IMPORTANT STEPS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE ESTABLISHING RECOGNIZED APPROACHES TO CONDUCTING EVALUATIONS, OBTAINING AND MAINTAINING HIGH-LEVEL SUPPORT FOR EVALUATION AMONG EXECUTIVES AND LEGISLATORS, TAKING ACCOUNT OF EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE PLANNING STAGES OF PROGRAMS, AND MAKING CERTAIN THAT EVALUATIVE RESEARCH RESULTS ARE REPORTED IN A MANNER THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO THEIR USE BY DECISIONMAKERS. WHETHER THE POLITICAL PROCESS WILL ALLOW EVALUATION TO CONTINUE ITS GROWTH IS AS YET UNKNOWN. ONE HURDLE THAT REMAINS IS THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS, PROCEDURES, AND DISSEMINATION SO THAT PAST LESSONS ARE NOT RELEARNED BY EACH NEW MANAGER. (LKM)

Downloads

Availability